'Only BN members, and not friends, can vote'

By Rahmah Ghazali

KUALA LUMPUR: Barisan Nasional key leaders today achieved a consensus that only BN members, and not allies or associates of the ruling coalition, have the right to vote in the coalition.

Speaking to reporters after attending the BN management committee meeting at Umno headquarters here, MCA chairman Chua Soi Lek said: “We reached a consensus that we can accept friends of the BN. The only question is, what will be their role.

“Will they be allowed to attend BN meetings at state level or only at convention?”

"Generally, we all agreed that they will not be given voting rights in BN. Only BN members can vote," Chua said.

The meeting was chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and BN deputy chairman Muhyiddin Yassin.

Chia said the issue would be discussed tomorrow at the BN supreme council meeting which will be chaired by Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak.

The BN's decision to amend its constitution by allowing direct BN membership has spawned fears among BN partners that their respective parties will be sidelined in future elections.

Many argued that BN members would be allowed to contest under the coalition's ticket without having any association with any of the component parties.

Currently, only members from the 13 BN component parties are allowed to vote on coalition matters and to contest in the elections.

No Cabinet reshuffle

Chua was also asked whether a Cabinet reshuffle was discussed at today's meeting.

Without confirming or denying that a reshuffle will be held soon as reported by the media, he said: "A Cabinet reshuffle is never discussed in BN (meetings).”

Speculations are rife that a Cabinet reshuffle would be announced next week or early December, with four ministers dropped.

They included Ahmad Shabery Cheek (Youth and Sports Minister), Shaziman Mansor (Works Minister), Ismail Sabri Yaakob (Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister) and Dr Ng Yen Yen (Tourism Minister).

Meanwhile, there is also speculation that Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin will be brought into the Cabinet as a deputy minister.

However, Najib has dismissed the allegations, saying that no such decision has been made.